


coffee stains

by uttergarbo



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Anxiety, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-20 10:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14892620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uttergarbo/pseuds/uttergarbo
Summary: Shuichi Saihara is yet another college student just balancing his life. Pursuing a criminal justice degree in the day, and working as a barista by each night, he manages to keep himself together... for the most part. He follows the same routine all week, month, and year -- up until the day that the arrival of a new co-worker threatens to rip every element of balance away from him.





	coffee stains

**Author's Note:**

> [ oh gosh oh jeez... this here folks is my first danganronpa fic and my first fic ever to be honest? i've always wanted to but never really had the courage/motivation to do it. but finally i just sat down and got to writing and i had so much fun writing this first chapter for this little self-indulgent AU of mine! i'm a barista myself so i figured i should write after something i enjoy, on top of sai/ouma, my favorite ship. best boys. i love their dynamic too much.
> 
> feel free to leave any comments or feedback if you'd like, i really appreciate that!! i'll be working on chapter two soon and continuing this. even though i have a lot to improve, it's a great stress reliever and it's just fun! shoutout to my best friend who helped beta this for me, u kno who u are and u rock ;) anyway thanks so so much for reading and i hope you enjoy it!! ]

      From start to finish, Shuichi’s days are cluttered with loud noise. It’s a chaotic orchestra, a tribute to his hectic life, in a way. In the beginning, there’s his alarm that usually greets him ever so kindly at 6 a.m. with its incessant beeping. He turns on the shower in a compact bathroom, dimly lit with the morning sun, and the reverberations of water hitting tile make him visualize ocean waves crashing into one another. The hairdryer shrieks into his ears, and through a mouthful of fried eggs he listens to his roommates ramble on, doing his best to add his soft commentary whenever he can get a word in. He rides his bike to campus with the echoes of the morning rush surrounding him, sounds of talk shows and advertisements on the radio, children laughing as they walk with parents, horns blaring loudly at a bad driver, society moving together as a whole. His ears soak up information in his lectures, then as lunch rolls around, utensils scrape across plates, drinks drip and fill up cups, and plates loudly crash together as they’re cleaned. The evening announcements are ringing in his ears by the time that it’s time to get on his bike again. Only his day isn’t ending just yet - it’s the half-way mark.

 

      This was the transitory period of his day. It was the time that Shuichi always looks forward to the most. The distance to his work is short enough for him to use his bike, but his schedule is too tight for a return to his home and a change of clothes. Still, as he begins the ride, a calming effect takes place when his ears aren’t being violated by distracting noises. The streets are much quieter. Birds chirp every now and then, letting out their last peeps of the day. A wind chime sings a few notes in the distance. It’s not completely silent, but instead of making him swell up with anxiety, the sounds seem to remind him that things are okay. That he’s capable.

  
      This is when Shuichi’s eyes and mind begin drinking in the vivid colors of the sunset. He knows the cycle well. At first the sky would start with yellow, then orange and red bleeding into blue, before finally violet clouds stretched on top of the horizon. Occasionally, right before arriving at the cafe, he would be able to make out the pale curve of the moon cutting into the never-ending sky. It always reminds him of one of the guys he lives with, who was training to become an astronaut, and because of that Shuichi really enjoyed each night the moon came out early -- it was like a good luck charm, in a way.

  
      Either way, the sunset is a great friend in calming his anxieties before work. He typically makes good timing and is able to get there right before it got dark. When Shuichi arrives at the cafe around the same time as usual, the warm glow from within is just starting to illuminate the blue-toned alley around him. It was an establishment of modest size, tucked away around a turn near one of the main streets of town. Unlike other corners of the world, this alley was inviting and was packed with small businesses and pleasant smells, and below Shuichi’s feet there were specks of grass struggling to grow through the aged cobblestone. Between the tightly-packed businesses, different wires connected paths above and ivy climbed brick walls. The cafe was the first on the right, with a wooden surface striking out of its side, a few pairs of stools sitting underneath it. There was a chalkboard sign propped up outside, one side showing their special of the week, another side just displaying the cafe menu. Hanging down in front of the entrance was noren with the name _Ocha Cafe_ written across and the logo of a small cup with a leaf above. Since the cafe was named after green tea, it made sense that it had a matching color scheme inside and out, reflected in the chartreuse furniture, serving cups, and decor.

  
      Directly behind the cafe was an even tighter side-alley, which was mostly just used for taking trash out. There was a bookstore on their left, with old windows that seemed to say that it had been there since the dawn of time. Unless it was raining, there was always a short messy rack of novels trustfully placed outside that were half-off. Sometimes on weekends when Shuichi worked an earlier shift, he would stop by and get a book on murder mysteries or anything similar. Down the alley was also a ramen shop with more outdoor seating than the cafe, and even though it might’ve been smaller, it was incredibly popular at night. Behind that sat a quirky gift shop on the left, followed by a bistro, and lastly a bar. At least, that was the main set of stores down this particular alley, the busiest area, Shuichi assumes. There were a few more small businesses down the way, but none he bothers much to visit.

  
      He realizes that he’s just been standing there strangely in the alley as he took in everything around him. Crickets were beginning to chirp, and the hum of a motor passes behind him. Shuichi looks back again at the sky, searching. He has his own routine, just like how the sun sets and rises every day and how the moon shows itself at its will. It begins as he crouches down next to his bike to secure it against the cafe wall with a lock. He makes his way through the front door, smiling shyly at his co-workers that greet him behind the bar. Immediately, the scent of freshly brewed coffee, tea, and baked pastries bathes him. Sometimes it was relaxing, but on his worse days, all it did was remind him that he would be here a while. Tonight, he’s content as he makes his way to the men’s room, following his actions of the past. Happy to find it unoccupied, Shuichi changes into his work outfit inside, which he always brought with him to school. A quick wash of his hands, and he’s walking towards the employee room with his apron tied behind him, his bag on his shoulders, his quiet anxieties ever-present in his mind. He usually takes a moment to calm himself at the desk before beginning, but tonight --

  
      The routine is thrown off.

  
      Shuichi is completely frozen in the entryway to the back room. It takes him a minute to process what is going on. The first question that runs through his mind: _Why is somebody that I don’t know back here?_ He remembers a vague moment a couple of weeks ago where his boss told him about having to train a new employee while he’s on a vacation. This must be the new guy. _But why don’t I know more? Did my boss tell me more, but I just forgot?_ Am I really that sleep deprived? I don’t even know their name--

  
      Wait.

  
      Yes, he does. He knows them.

 

      It feels impossible, despite what’s in front of him, and yet, there’s no other possibility that it could be anyone else. Nobody else would be making their first impression at a job like this. Nobody else would have their feet propped up on the desk, their short legs crossed, sitting in a chair like they owned it. Nobody else had that loudly checkerboard-patterned scarf around their neck, or those subtle curls of violet in the ends of their dark hair. Nobody else would be noisily sipping a carbonated drink, their eyes fixated on the screen, while apparently searching ‘creepy baby clown’ photos on Google.

  
      _Kokichi…. Is the new employee?_

  
      “Ou….Ouma-kun?” Shuichi finally squeaks out in surprise after being frozen in shock. Kokichi immediately turns, stopping his rapid consumption of his drink with a hard swallow. “Oh, there you are, Shumai! I was starting to think you’d never show!”

  
      Shuichi cringes visibly. He had almost forgotten about that nickname… Almost, up until now. It was so silly, it was embarrassing to hear it. He wasn’t sure if Kokichi said it out of genuine affection, or if it was just a dumb nickname used to tease him. Probably the latter. Still stunned, he can’t find words to fill the air while his amber eyes remain locked on the screen. “Whoops, sorry! Looks like my hand slipped.” Kokichi says nonchalantly as he closes the tab entirely. He was clearly looking at that page for longer than a ‘slip’, but Shuichi forces his brain to stop wondering about what Kokichi aims to do with those pictures.

  
      “You’re the new employee…?” Is all he can manage to ask at the moment.

  
      “Ding-ding! You’re right on the money, detective!”

  
      “...Did you...know I worked here when you applied?”

  
      “...” Although Kokichi was grinning just then, within a second, he was expressionless. “Welllllll, not at first, but I found out afterwards pretty quick. I was so excited when I recognized that name on the schedule! Then I remembered you talking about your part-time job at some cafe, and I realized I’d be working alongside my beloved Saihara-chan!”

  
      Just like that, he was smiling again. Shuichi felt something raw and uneasy in his stomach, settling like cement. Was he lying? It wouldn’t have been that big of a coincidence that the new hire was a classmate, because he already worked with a few, but the fact that it was Kokichi out of all people felt… odd. Especially because Kokichi probably had the worst reputation of anyone he knew. Impulsive, rash, unnerving and completely unpredictable. Shuichi was pretty sure he didn’t have any real work history either, so the nagging voice in his head did nothing but grow louder. _How? How did he get this position?_

  
      “H-Hey… don’t think… rude thoughts like that…” Kokichi’s wavering voice pulls the other back into the conversation. His bottom lip twitches while he speaks. “Yeah, I can tell what you’re thinking. You think I’m no good, yeah? There’s no way I’m capable of anything? You already have no faith in me, like everyone else...” His head sinks down, and tears slip down his pale cheeks. Despite knowing Kokichi somewhat from school, he still didn’t feel like he knew him well enough to tell if this was real or not. It was enough to send small waves of panic to Shuichi’s chest. “N-No, that’s not-- Ouma-kun, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--” He begins stumbling over his words. Even if they didn’t trust each other, they still needed to have a comfortable work relationship in the very least, and if Kokichi were to tell his boss that Shuichi made him uncomfortable, then that would put him in a very bad position considering--

  
      Laughter breaks free from the boy next to him, and every ounce of worry Shuichi had a moment ago instantly disappears. “I’m just kidding, Saihara-chan! Wow, you really fell for it! Nishishi… I can’t read minds, and even if I could, I wouldn’t care what you were thinking just then.”

 

      Shuichi stands still, trying not to let the agitation show on his face. Clearly, Kokichi is enjoying every minute of this, and he remembers in that moment that there’s a few things to address. He clears his throat and gestures for Kokichi to leave his seat. “Okay. Well, first of all, I don’t mind it on campus, but while you’re here please don’t use any nicknames to refer to me. I’m technically your supervisor after all, so it would reflect poorly on both of us. That includes… Saihara-chan.” He forces it out, feeling copper on his tongue. Kokichi places a pout on his face. “Awww.. but that’s my favorite.”

  
      Taking a seat at the office desk, Shuichi begins logging into the company’s internal training system. He continues his usual introductory speech. “Since today’s your first day, you’ll just be filling out things online. First you’ll need to make a password to clock in and out. Then you’ll just be watching some videos and answering questions. It’s pretty straightforward. ” Shuichi expects Kokichi to start whining, but when he glances backwards, the shorter man is surprisingly calm. “...Of course, you’ll be paid for all your time today.” He says anyway, just in case Kokichi doesn’t know.

  
      “That’s good. But the money I’ll be making won’t be worth nearly half as much as time spent with my beloved--” Saihara senses where that sentence is leading and stares intently at him. Kokichi smiles brightly before correcting himself. “Oopsies, I mean… with Saihara-san!”

  
      Shuichi exhales slowly through his nose. He would be pretty embarrassed if someone else heard Kokichi saying such things, so he hopes that’s the last time that happens. “Alright, time to make your password.” He mumbles once the page finally loads. “It can be whatever you like.”

  
      “Oh? It can be _anything_?” Kokichi questions, his smile turning into something much less sincere.

  
      “...Just make sure you’ll be able to remember it. You’ll use it every day to clock in so it’s important.” When he leans back to let Kokichi type, he can’t exactly tell what he’s typing, but he sees his thin finger press 6, followed by 9, and he rolls his eyes internally.

  
      “O-kay, I got it!” Kokichi announces, and Shuichi continues onto the next page. “Alright, just in case you were to forget, there’s some security questions to answer. You can choose which three you want.”

  
      Kokichi makes a small humming noise as he scans over the questions. There were a bunch of different ones, things that were pretty personal. He sees the mouse cursor slowly scroll down through them, before pausing on one that asks: _What was the name of the street you grew up on?_

  
      It hits Shuichi that he’s being incredibly nosy by looking over Kokichi’s shoulder without even pausing to think about it, so he quickly turns his eyesight towards the ground. Sounds of typing are all that fill the air while Shuichi pretends he’s interested in the floor tile. “What’s next?” Kokichi suddenly asks, and Shuichi looks up to find that he’s already clicked to the next page.

  
      “Alright, now time for videos and questions.” When the page goes blank for a second, the reflection reveals that he’s much closer to Kokichi than he thought. He’s leaning over him, within enough distance to touch if Kokichi moved the slightest. Was he imagining it, or had Kokichi begun leaning back a little...? No, Shuichi knows that can’t be the case. Inching back somewhat, he navigates the site. It was honestly barely functional, but they were a small chain. Shuichi scrolls down the page and highlights several video links. “I’d like you to watch all of these tonight. They have about three questions each. But as long as you pay attention, they’re easy.”

  
      Kokichi reaches his arms up suddenly, making Shuichi step back more, only to fold them behind his head confidently. “Okay, can do! Paying attention! That’s what I’m best at!” He cheers, and Shuichi imagines the countless times Kokichi has refused to give his attention in class. Either that or he just wasn’t there. All Shuichi could do was hope for the best, suppressing another sigh.

  
      Before he can speak, his train of thought disappears as someone else enters the work room. It’s one of the baristas, a young woman who looks maybe a few years younger than the two of them. Her stained apron tells that she’s been here a while, and she smiles shyly at Shuichi. “Um, sorry to interrupt, but could you come on the floor when you have a chance? We just got a pretty big order…” A weak chuckle leaves her lips while she brushes her short dark hair back. “Oh, of course. I’ll be right out.” Shuichi returns the smile and she nods, leaving them alone again.

  
      He returns his attention to Kokichi, who is still staring at the door with an unreadable expression. “So just get through as many of those as you can, then come see me when you’re done, or if you have any questions. I’ll be in the cafe.” Suddenly Kokichi sits up straight like he’s never seen, bringing his palm to his forehead and saluting Shuichi. In return, he shakes his head, leaving Kokichi to probably look up more baby clown pictures. For whatever god awful reason.

 

\---- x ----

 

      Just like he had been told, they did receive a large order over the phone, including two coffee travelers and multiple handmade drinks. By Shuichi’s guess, it was probably a small business meeting. He preps the coffee travelers on his own, occasionally ringing up a customer or getting refills so that the baristas can focus on making drinks. By the end of it, he was wishing that they had some sort of policy against accepting orders like this. He packs a short sleeve of cups, napkins and utensils into a paper bag for good touch, putting it all together on the pick-up counter along with several trays of drinks that his co-workers finish just in time. “Great job, that was a lot to handle at once. And thanks for bringing it to my attention quickly.” He nods as he gives them recognition for the hard work, especially the girl who had told Shuichi in the work room. She’s wearing a name tag that reads ‘Komaru’ with a small flower doodled on the side. “Thank you Saihara-san!” Her grin is warm just like Shuichi anticipated.

  
      It’s not long before the customer arrives and makes several trips taking their order to their car. They also leave a big tip for the staff’s trouble, which Shuichi is thankful for. Kind words and goodbyes fill the air when the customer departs, and they begin cleaning up the area around them, like reparations after an accident. Pulling through that hard work reminds him that he’s lucky to have such dedicated people to work alongside with. It also forces him to remember something, or rather someone, else. “Ah, I should probably check on--”

  
      Shuichi doesn’t get to finish his sentence, because when he turns around, Kokichi’s presence utterly shocks him, making him jump quite visibly. The new employee stands there cheerfully, only maybe a foot away. A giggle immediately resonates from him. “Whoops! I didn’t mean to scare you, Saihara-san.” Then Kokichi places a quizzical look on his face, poking his own chin with his finger. “Hey, did you know that it’s sign of underlying anxiety if you’re easily startled all the time?”

  
      It takes a second for Shuichi to calm himself. “I can’t help it if you’re just standing behind me without a word…” He mumbles an excuse, drifting off. “But why are you here? Did you need me?”

  
      Kokichi’s smile morphs into a grin. “Of course I need you! I always need you…” He begins before Shuichi’s stare tells him to stop. “Actually, I’m done with the online training, and I have been for a while. I was just waiting here for you guys to finish up. You looked awfully deep in work, and lil’ old me didn’t want to be a bother!”

  
      Shuichi’s mind can’t help but immediately wonder -- _since when did you care about being a bother?_   Still, those words surprise Shuichi. If he’s not lying, which is a very likely possibility, then that would be the fastest that anyone’s ever done it. He pauses. "Really? I’ll come look.” He knows he has to check to verify as he walks past Kokichi, back into the work room. He lets out another slow breath through his nose as he slinks back into his work chair, scanning over the training.

  
      The longer he looks, the less he understands. Not only did Kokichi apparently finish so quickly, but he had gotten everything correct. He tries to see if there was any way he might have skipped it, or cheated the system somehow, but there was nothing. A small noise escapes him.

  
      “Well? Is it evidence enough for you, detective?” The sudden voice directly behind Shuichi tells him that Kokichi’s looking over his shoulder, and a flood of embarrassment hits him. He couldn’t have made it more obvious that he doubted Kokichi’s capabilities. He still felt unsure about this somewhere in his heart, but the least he could do was give the guy credit. “Ah… Sorry, I’m just… this is the fastest I’ve seen...”

  
      “It’s ‘cuz I’m a natural pro! That’s really my true talent. I’m just great at everything.” Kokichi brags, standing up proud. Shuichi shakes his head at that obvious lie before logging out of the computer. Something about this still doesn’t feel quite right to him, but he wasn’t sure if that was intuition or paranoia. “Anyway, this is great. That’s the worst part of the training, so it’s good you already have it over with.” He writes down a few things on a clipboard to update Kokichi’s employee profile. “We still have a couple hours until close. If you want, you can clock out and go home for the day. Or if you want a head start, you can stay and I’ll give you some additional training, one-on-one.” Shuichi can’t miss the mischievous sparkle that grows in Kokichi’s eyes. “Whatever you want, it’s your choice.”

  
      “Hm... “ Kokichi looks like he’s pretending to think before he loudly declares, “I’ll stay here! Might as well grace your presence with more of the supreme leader’s time!” Shuichi can’t help but chuckle at that, strangely enough, and Kokichi grins as big as a crescent moon.

  
      “Alright, Ouma-kun. Sounds good.”

 

\---- x ----

 

      Although Kokichi would soon be getting his own set of aprons for work, it was convenient that they usually had a spare one or two hanging around in the back. Well, it wasn’t exactly convenient when Shuichi would discover them at the end of his shift, then be obligated to wash them and bring them back for next time, only for no one to claim them in the end. But for now, they would serve as fitting substitutes.

  
      When Shuichi sees Kokichi in work attire, it’s strange. It’s the first time he’s seen Kokichi dressed in some way that isn’t downright ridiculous or a violation of school code. The most stark difference is the disappearance of his scarf, which had to go on behalf of dress policy for its length. He’s not sure why, but Shuichi still feels surprised that the man agreed to take it off. Kokichi’s hair is also now in a simple ponytail, which oddly fits him very well. Lastly, the apron, which had its strings rounding his hips twice, a knot in the front instead of back-- and the name tag. Shuichi had given him a blank one a few moments ago, letting him take creativity “as long as it was legible”, he had said, hoping it wouldn’t be lewd. Thankfully it was decent, and Kokichi had taken the liberty to use a ton of bright colours to stand out.

  
      “Hm? Hmmm?” Kokichi makes a curious noise, and Shuichi doesn’t quite get why. Not until he spins around and does a few dorky poses. “Am I flirtatious barista material yet? Think I’m gonna attract some cute regulars?” Shuichi feels warmth spread across his cheeks and he just averts his eyes. “Please don’t flirt with anyone…” He mumbles, his peripheral vision telling him that Kokichi is doing yet another pose in poor taste.

  
      “Awwww… and I was so looking forward to it too~” Kokichi’s voice dips low and Shuichi just knows that there’s an intense violet stare directed at him. Although there’s a red flag in the back of his mind, he isn’t sure what to say really, so he just decides to move on.

  
      “To start off, the first thing I’ll show you is how to do a pour-over.” Shuichi begins, setting up the small brewer they used for such, comprised of two thin metallic slabs. The one on bottom, which held the actual cup, had a small drain with a pocket of space underneath. The slab on top had two empty circles which held the cones with filters inside. Nearby, there was always a small plastic bag full of filters for the brewer, one of which Shuichi grabs and places inside a cone. “Some people really prefer the taste of pour-over coffee, so because they have that preference, it’s important to do it right. The first step is freshly grinding some coffee beans…”

 

      Shuichi delves into his explanation, teaching Kokichi the same way he had taught others, and the same way he had been taught himself. He doesn’t exactly have the passion for coffee the same way he passionately chased the truth, but it has a certain place in his heart. On one side of the brewer, first he demonstrates, then lets Kokichi practice himself on the other side. As he watches his new co-worker, his mind drifts to different places like the hot water slowly seeping into ground coffee. He glances around the interior of the cafe, orange with warmth, most of the wooden seats empty.

  
      In the past, sometimes his uncle would take him to tea shops similar to _Ocha_ , where they would sit and talk for a long time. Most kids might find that boring, but Shuichi treasured the time they spent together, sipping aromatic tea and listening to his uncle recount stories of crime solving. He’d often interrupt the man with curious questions, but his uncle never got annoyed. Instead, the older detective would just chuckle -- that gentle, low rumbling chuckle that tickled his heart. Unfortunately, he didn’t hear it as much now as he used to...

 

      “Hey, hey, hey. Did I do it right? Hey. Hey. Hey!!”

 

      Shuichi isn’t aware of how long Kokichi has been yelling when he finally blinks back into the real world. “Oh--uh--” He quickly glances at the other man’s filter, seeing that he’s done a pretty good job of maintaining the pour-over. “Looks good. You might want to go a bit slower next time though.”

  
      He begins cleaning up, thinking that this lesson is mostly done with, but Kokichi looks like a statue in his peripheral vision. Was he staring at him again? He hoped this wouldn’t become a trend. It's distracting him, and he can't ignore it. “...What is it, Ouma-kun?” Shuichi finally brings himself to ask, his gaze meeting the other’s.

  
      “I’m just wondering why Saihara-san looks so sad all of a sudden. Geez, am I really doing that bad?” He frowns in a way that’s too pathetic to be real, so Shuichi swallows any guilt he feels. “Or... were you thinking of something worse?”

  
      “What--? No, I’m fine. Sorry if I looked weird, it’s just been a long day…” _Well, what day isn’t a long day?_   Shuichi curses at himself internally. His exhaustion is affecting his life and making it harder to stay focused. Here he was a moment ago, telling Kokichi to pay attention, while he’s barely awake. That wasn’t the right impression to make as a supervisor.

  
      When Shuichi steals another glance, they don’t make eye contact, but Kokichi is chewing the inside of his cheek. It’s hard to tell what he’s thinking, but Shuichi prays it isn’t judgement. “I think you’ve made a lot of progress today, so there’s no need for you to stay until close. You should go home and get some rest.” He offers.

  
      “Nooo... Saihara-san is bored of me?” Kokichi accuses with a frown. “It’s okay though, I have lots of super duper important things to attend to. I’ll see you later!”

  
      Shuichi shakes his head. “You know that’s not what I mean by that.” He says, but his words only reach Kokichi’s back. He continues to clean up the brewer, setting it in the washer and throwing away the used filters. When Kokichi enters his peripheral again, he sees that his hair is down at his shoulders again and his eyes are on his phone. “Looks like you’ll be getting the gift of my presence again tomorrow evening! Try not to get too eager thinking about it!” Kokichi says all of that while reading something from his bright screen, and within the next second he’s vanishing out of sight. “Bye-bye!” Kokichi’s voice echoes out, not giving Shuichi even a moment to speak. Shuichi can’t help but notice that Kokichi took the back door out, and he wishes he would’ve been able to warn him. It wasn’t a safe alley to walk down… especially at night like this. His mind reminds him that Kokichi is capable of making these decisions by himself, so he just pushes the thought away.

  
      But that last comment… he assumes that Kokichi’s referring to the schedule, and immediately goes in the back to look and confirm. They had more or less the same hours as today - Shuichi would be closing, Kokichi would be there for him to train. Except tomorrow he was going to have a lot more hands-on experience since he had already finished his online assignments. If things continued to move this quickly, he might even begin working on the register soon, but a tight knot formed in Shuichi’s stomach with that thought. Kokichi, the art major and official school menace, didn’t strike him as the type to exceed in customer service. If anything, people thought the guy got off on making lives worse instead of better. Was it all fun and games? Or was there a truly sadistic part of his personality? Shuichi returns to the main floor and continues his closing duties in a haze, trying to ignore his thoughts. He can’t help but imagine different scenarios, like the first time a customer would snap at Kokichi. Shuichi could see the sickly sweet grin that he’d give them, clear in his mind, before doing something crazy as revenge.

  
      That’s what he fears the most - Kokichi and his interactions with the customers. Even if he didn’t do anything drastic, his reputation might make some people uncomfortable to see him serving them. Shuichi has to take a few deep breaths. Maybe he should just have faith. Today was harmless enough. It wouldn’t hurt to hope.

  
      There was something else biting at him. Kokichi’s answer to his second question earlier in the work room. He said he applied here by coincidence without knowing Shuichi worked here until afterwards. That would be awfully convenient if it were true. Out of all the places, he just happened to make the perfect guess…? How could that be?

      Aside from the concoction of strange feelings stirring inside him, the close goes as usual. It was nearing ten and the deep indigo of the night was trying to swallow him whole as he stands outside. The street lights save him, though, creating illuminated circles all the way down the alley. He’s glancing inside, just to make sure nothing’s off, before locking the front door. “I’ll go check the back.” Komaru says, and he nods in approval. He hears her tugging on the rear door to make sure its locked, like usual, before she returns within a minute. “We’re all good!” Her smile is friendly, but worn.

  
      “Alright, thanks. Great job today.” He pats her on the shoulder, and she looks briefly surprised before returning to her last expression. “Oh-- of course Saihara-san. I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

  
      “Yep, same time.” He tugs the front door a few more rounds, even though he already knows he checked it, his anxiety forces him to do it again.

  
      “Okay, see you then! Have a safe ride home.” She nods her head in the direction of Shuichi’s bike, turning on her feet. Shuichi returns the same words in his own way, watching her walk down the alley towards the train station.

 

      After unchaining his bike, Shuichi takes the same route home he always does. He always sticks to the sidewalk if he can, because riding in the street makes him way too nervous, even if he legally has the right of way. Besides it’s dark, and it doesn’t help that he never wears a lighter color than grey. He can practically hear his roommates scolding him about it in his mind as he watches the path in front of him. He’s on auto-pilot by this point, and he doesn’t know how much time has passed when he’s standing in front of their apartment complex.

  
      Shuichi glances up, his eyes scanning the six consecutive rows of windows above him. Some are lit, some aren’t, with small air conditioning units sticking out of a few. The balconies aren’t big, but everyone has a planter hanging from the side, and Shuichi appreciates the natural touch. A few of them were sadly abandoned, but there were plenty of residents that took care in growing pretty flowers and plants. Directly in front of him is the entrance, and then around a corner slightly to the right, a cluster of mailboxes and a set of stairs leading up. Closest to him on his left is a small space for bike storage that he soon takes advantage of. He looks to see if they’ve gotten mail because he knows he’s the only one who checks, and sure enough, they have.

  
      While Shuichi takes the stairs, he flips through the mail out of curiosity. Most of it is junk though, go figure. He stops when he feels like he’s being nosy, already reaching the third floor where he walks a few doors down. 305 is where he pauses to fish some keys out of his pocket, but before he can unlock it--

  
      “Hey there.” The door opens up to reveal a young man slightly taller than Shuichi. He has a familiar ever-present, lax smile on his face, and multiple layers of shirts on even though it’s warm out. “Ah--hello Amami-kun. How did you…”

  
      “I saw you coming.” He answers before he’s asked, running a palm through his hair, the same light green color as the apron Shuichi was holding. “C’mon, get inside, you look ready to collapse.” Rantaro instructs him, stepping to the side to let Shuichi in. In return he just gives his roomie a weak smile, gladly entering his home and relieved to be back.

  
      “Yo, Saihara! Welcome back bro!” His other roommate is sitting in front of the TV, his arms totally spread out on the back of their black couch, with his neck craning backwards to look at the two. From the looks of it, he’s watching some type of science or nature channel. Before Shuichi can take another step, though, Kaito is off the couch and right next to him. He gives him a soul-crushing bro hug, and Shuichi can tell by the day that he’s getting stronger. “I missed ya! How was work?”

  
      “Let him breathe…” Rantaro’s voice is a mumble while he searches for something in their fridge, which has both doors covered in random magnets and photos. Shuichi is thankful when Kaito releases his unintentional death grip. “I missed you guys too. Work was fine, thank you for asking, Momota-kun.” He doesn’t know why, but he can’t bring up the fact that Kokichi was now on his team. For one, Kaito surely hated the guy, so he knew that the news would upset him. It had also just been a long day and he didn’t care much to talk.

  
      Behind him, he can hear the crinkling of aluminum foil, and he realizes that Rantaro is heating up dinner for him. “Oh, thank you Amami-kun. You cooked tonight?” That thought excites his stomach, which was currently reminding him that he had eaten nothing during that shift. Rantaro was the only one out of their trio that could actually cook, not to mention cook well, since he had grown up as the oldest sibling of a large family.

  
      In turn, Rantaro nods back at him. “Yeah, but it’s nothing special..” He chuckles softly while he bends down, placing a ruby pan in the pre-heated oven.

  
      “Nothin’ special? C’mon man… stop with that modest stuff… You know you’re good!” Kaito suddenly demands, but it makes Shuichi smile again.

  
      Sometimes their differences became obvious while they lived together, but Shuichi couldn’t think of two better people to room with. Rantaro was very easy to get along with for one, and enjoyed taking care of others whenever it was in his capabilities. Kaito was constantly motivating and encouraging, pushing them to reach their best selves. Actually, his bike had been a birthday present from Kaito as a means of getting more exercise and going outside. Now he used that bike everyday, but it was something he would have never thought of for himself.

  
      While the home of three college bachelors might seem like a disaster in theory, their place was pretty nice in its own way. Their furniture was new, not completely hand-me-downs thanks to the fact that both Shuichi and Rantaro’s parents sent them money on occasion (especially Rantaro). Shuichi took care to regularly sweep the wooden floors and vacuum the dark grey carpet of the living room. There was a single small step that divided the rest of the apartment and the area where the carpeting was, and because of this slight dip in height, they all decided to refer to that area as ‘the den’.

  
      The den was the prime entertainment area, and the place where Kaito was now returning to continue watching his show. The velvety black couch was deep and comfortable to sink into after a long day. Nearby was an armchair, a thick, crimson color, and it was more or less Shuichi’s official spot to read. A short bookcase sat behind the same chair, making it easy to reach. There was a modern record player on its top, accompanied by two full boxes of albums and LPs. That was mostly a Rantaro thing, but Shuichi would sometimes put on classical music whenever he could.

  
      The walls may have been a bluish grey, but their color was easily forgotten due to the amount of posters and pictures on them. There was a sea of photographs, instant film that was also scattered all around the apartment. Rantaro's the only one out of them that owns a camera, and so the photographs usually displayed different areas around the world from his travels. Maps of the night sky and other scientific scales were also prevalent, along with a few of those glow in the dark sticky stars that were childish yet fun. They were lucky enough to have the latest gaming console and a stellar TV, complete with three controllers-- but truthfully, Shuichi didn’t join them gaming often. The center of the den completed the picture, which was a long, dark coffee table that hung low. It was almost never free of clutter - including now, as he spots Kaito’s laptop, research papers, and an assortment of nail polish sitting out. Shuichi had given up on trying to clean certain spots of the apartment such as that. Not all battles could be won.

  
      Against his conscious decision, his back is already welcoming the embrace of the couch next to Kaito. Rantaro joins them to his right, leaving Shuichi in the middle. He places an ice-cold glass of water in Shuichi’s palm, leaving the boy to blink at it. “When was the last time you drank some water?” Rantaro asks him casually. He realizes that it’s been at least seven hours, and drinks without hesitation.

  
      Once he gulps down a lot more than planned, his brain suddenly feels much more capable of handling a conversation. “Thank you guys… I hope neither of you stayed up waiting for me or something though. I always have my key.” Shuichi reminds them.

  
      “Nah man, it’s not like that. We just kinda happened to stay up late.” Kaito shrugs. “But you should be worried about yourself getting enough sleep, more than anything. These shifts must be wrecking you.” Out of the corner of his eye, he can barely make out Rantaro nodding his agreement.

  
      Shuichi can’t help but feel like this is where their conversation always goes. Especially lately. As mean-spirited as it sounds, it was beginning to wear him out more than his actual work. A few beats of silence pass. “It’s alright. I’m requesting more nights off soon.” He says, but in his heart, he knows he’s lying.

  
      "Great! That means we can hang out more!” Kaito bumps his shoulder in a friendly way. “It’s been forever since the three of us have been out.” He inches forward slightly to shut his laptop down and close it.

  
      “Well, we all have such different schedules. It can’t always be helped.” Rantaro points out. “Nights like these are nice though, when we can all see each other, even if only for a sec.”

  
      “Hey, I know what we can do!” Kaito’s unable to stop himself from continuing. “There’s a new sushi bar opening in town in a couple of weeks, right? We have to check it out.” He’s beaming, which seems everlasting, so Shuichi can only smile at him.

 

      “That sounds great Momota-kun. Whenever we all have the time to, I’d enjoy it.”

  
      Rantaro joins their happy expressions with his own relaxed grin. “It’s decided then. Let’s hope that day comes soon. I really love sushi, and I’m not ashamed about going alone if you guys are too busy…” He chuckles.

  
      “Aw, c’mon, not fair!” Kaito’s pout reminds him of someone, but the guy seems to remember something, and he looks Shuichi’s way. “And speaking of food… did you get the goods tonight, bro?”

  
      It takes him a second, but then the realization slaps Shuichi in the face. He forgot--!

  
      “I’m… so sorry, I was distracted and I…” He frowns. They had an established a long-running tradition where every time Shuichi worked a closing shift on nights like this, he would bring a bag of treats from the pastry case. It was all stuff that would have been thrown away regardless, so Shuichi was allowed to take home whatever was left. “I forgot…” He feels dumb for forgetting something they were probably looking forward to. Even after Kokichi left, Shuichi’s thoughts were still flooded with his presence, distracting him. Had he forgotten something else during his closing…?

  
      Kaito pats his back. “Hey, don’t look so down. It’s not like we need ‘em. You were working hard!”

  
      “Yeah, no worries. We’re lucky to be spoiled with tons of sweet stuff anyway.” Rantaro adds, and the oven punctuates his sentence with a loud beep. “Ah, it’s ready--” He starts to go get it, but Shuichi insists on getting up first. It would feel downright ridiculous to have his roommate deliver his food to him on a plate, like some kind of maid.

  
      “Tomorrow night, I’ll bring some.” Shuichi promises from the kitchen, slipping on some oven mitts. The hot breath from the oven immediately hits his face as he opens the door, making him squint a bit by instinct. He retrieves the dish, setting it on the stove top. Once he takes a peek, he instantly knows it’s going to be delicious. It’s a beef teriyaki, savory and filling, just what he needs.

  
      It doesn’t take long for Shuichi to sit down and start eating. Their dining area is a small space, directly across from the kitchen, next to a window and the front door. It consists of a circular, light wooden table, with three chairs looping around it. A silver tray lay the middle, which Shuichi would occasionally stock with napkins, salt and pepper, and utensils for easy reach. Near the table was Kaito’s telescope he often brought outside, but it always seemed in danger of being knocked over. The window had its pale yellow curtains pulled back gently, a row of tiny potted plants sitting peacefully on the windowsill. Shuichi always enjoyed being able to have dinner and look outside. The view wasn’t exactly breathtaking, it was just the street and their neighboring buildings, but it was still charming in a way.

  
      Shuichi quietly notes all of this while he enjoys his dinner. Kaito and Rantaro continue chatting on the couch in the background, and they seem to only be half paying attention to whatever show is on. When he finishes, Shuichi is sure to thank Rantaro, who brushes it off like always.

  
      He’s about halfway done cleaning up some dishes left in the sink when Kaito yawns loudly. “I’m gettin’ tired… Gonna go ahead and get to bed. You guys should too.” They both say goodbye for the night, and Kaito makes his way to his room like a zombie. By the time Shuichi finishes up, he’s hit with exhaustion that’s incomparable. “I’m going to bed too now.” He tells Rantaro, who is currently deeply invested in his guilty pleasure: reality television. Shuichi smiles at him when he turns around in the den. “Sounds good, Saihara-kun. I’ll be doing the same too, soon.” He waves while Shuichi retreats to his room.

  
      Actually, it was technically his room as well as Rantaro’s. Their apartment only had two bedrooms, which meant a sacrifice had to be made. Since Kaito is the loudest snorer known to man, the other two have no choice but to stick together. Although Rantaro had a tendency to stay up late and accidentally wake up Shuichi when he finally went to bed, he would rather have that than not be able to fall asleep at all.

  
      He changes into his nightwear, which is just a loose black tee shirt and some pajama pants. The only thing illuminating the room is a small night light plugged in near the door, a star shape that glows orange. Shuichi doesn’t turn any lights on, he doesn’t waste time on anything-- he just gets in bed immediately. A groan leaves his lips as he lays against the soft mattress, the soft sheets and thick covers comforting him as they envelope his body. Today had been a lot, even more so than usual. In a million years, Shuichi would never have been able to guess that he would be working with Kokichi Ouma. He was still deeply shocked by the fact, even hours later. Questions were ringing in his mind, and his opinion of him was starting to become grey.

  
      He plugs in his phone to charge for the night and sets his alarm.

  
      It wasn’t wrong of Shuichi to be suspicious of him, and he had to recognize that for obvious reasons. Just bringing his name up to anyone who knew him was an example why. Yet, if he were there to cause trouble, what would his reason be? He had completed the online training perfectly, and even stayed to get additional help, which most people were not down for. What if this was just a weird, one-time thing, and he wouldn’t even show up for his next shift? That would annoy Shuichi quite a bit, and Kokichi loved to annoy. Still, to go through all the work of an application process for a mean-spirited prank…?

  
      Only time could tell. That’s what Shuichi keeps telling himself as his brain slowly stumbles away from consciousness. Crickets lull him to sleep, the dark weight of the night sky finally swallowing him up. He’ll never remember by the morning, but his last thoughts are made up of lavender silky strands of hair, of a bright bubbly voice, and of calculating eyes.

  
      Whether he likes it or not, he was about to learn a lot about Kokichi.


End file.
